Power restored back to Kulgmumb and three other Mount Hagen communities after eight months

BY HERBERT KEWA
Special Correspondent | PNG Herald

MOUNT HAGEN – Four communities on the outskirts of Mount Hagen have had their electricity restored after enduring eight months without power, following a community-led initiative funded by local leaders.

The prolonged outage affected residents in Kulgmumb (Moge Nambuka Melemb), Wella Kilgu (Moge Nambuka Melemb), Konba and surrounding Moge Akelka communities, and Kei Wangel (Kopi Tribe). Together, these communities represent thousands of people living within the Mount Hagen city boundary.

Residents said the lack of electricity severely disrupted daily life, affecting household lighting, mobile phone charging, cooking, office work, businesses and community activities.

The affected areas fall under the leadership of three ward councillors: Councillor Jacob Kop (Palimb 1), Councillor Willie Wingti, and Councillor Peter Rain. Community members expressed concern that despite being located close to the city, they had gone without such a basic service for eight months.

With no immediate solution forthcoming, several young professionals from the affected communities took the initiative to restore power. They raised funds, organised the purchase of a replacement transformer from Port Moresby, transported it to Mount Hagen and oversaw its installation.

Among those recognised for their leadership were Joe Mel Waka, a lawyer from Kuning Village in the Moge Nambuka Melemb tribe who is based in Port Moresby, and Alex Kunai, an accountant from Konba Village in the Moge Akelka tribe, also based in Port Moresby.

Following the successful restoration of electricity, community members gathered to celebrate and raised approximately K3,000 as a token of appreciation for PNG Power workers who assisted with the installation.

The appreciation payment was coordinated by Pastor Peter Ropra, Steven Poti, John Buri, Jason Waka, and Love Mel Waka on behalf of the communities.

Residents described the restoration as a significant achievement and said it demonstrated what could be accomplished when communities unite to solve local challenges. They also called on relevant authorities to ensure essential services such as electricity are maintained so rural and peri-urban communities are not left without power for extended periods.

About the Author:

Christina Kewa- Swarbrick

Publisher- Christina Kewa-Swarbrick has over 20 years experience in the Media Industry and over 10 Years in Prophetic Engineering. She's a Holistic Life Solutions Coach, who combines her lived knowledge and experiences and her professional industry knowldege to help others. She's the founder of VISION4040 (PNG) and DBUM Bible Technology, a spiritual mapping system unlocking destiny blueprints . To engage her professional services go to this link: cks.vision4040.com